There are many situations in industrial, commercial, and recreational activities where it is desirable to be able to move elements from one place to another and quickly fasten them in that location. An example of this type of manipulation is on board a boat, ship, or yacht. In a yacht, for instance, it is desirable to be able to move furniture, such as a table, from one location to another and to secure it at each location against movement of the vessel. Because of the limited space on a yacht, it is not practical to provide several tables that are permanently fastened to the deck or the cabin sole. In the past, therefore, a system has been used that involves providing several permanently-fastened sockets throughout the yacht. The table is provided with a single leg or stanchion that fits into any selected socket for use at a selected location. This type of device is shown and described, for instance, in the U.S. Pat. No. to CAMAROTA 4,925,140 where the leg frictionally and wedgingly engages the selected socket. Such systems for the transfer of furniture can also be used for other types of accessories or articles, such as a compass binnacle, where it is desirable to remove and store the item when it is not being used.
Unfortunately, these known systems for providing for the removal and transfer of articles have suffered from a number of defects. Among several difficulties encountered with the prior art systems, such as CAMAROTA, is the fact that the socket and stanchion tend to wear and to deform, thus causing them to fit loosely. In a ship or yacht, such looseness is impermissible, because the motion of the vessel and the movement of the stanchion bring about accentuated motion of the table surface at the top of the stanchion. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.
It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a transferable stanchion system in which a table or the like can be firmly held in one of several selected locations.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a table stanchion that can be quickly secured in one of several permanent locations.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a stanchion locking system particularly adapted to use on a yacht or other vehicle where space is at a premium.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a stanchion and socket in which movement of the socket does not cause a multiplied movement of the upper end of the stanchion.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a semi-permanent locking system for a leg or stanchion, which system operates quickly and without failure.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a secure stanchion system which is simple and rugged in construction, which can be easily manufactured from readily-available materials, and which is capable of a long life of use with a minimum of maintenance.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.